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Celebrate MLK Day with the Y

Published: January 4, 2018, at 11:13 a.m. PT

Last updated: January 8, 2018, at 4:45 p.m. PT

CELEBRATE THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR ON JANUARY 15, 2018

YMCA of Greater Seattle African American Resource Network and Accelerator YMCA invites you to join us for our Annual Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. All events are FREE and open to the public.

2. FILM and DISCUSSION: THE KALIEF BROWDER STORY
Bias in the Criminal Justice System, Downtown YMCA, Room 120
10:00 am This film focuses on the story of a teen who was incarcerated without conviction and the aftermath of his release from prison. Participants are invited to make signs and walk down to the rally following the discussion.

The Y actively promotes a culture free from bias and injustice. We strive to achieve equal access, identify and resolve inequities and remove institutional barriers that limit the ability of all people to develop their full potential. The YMCA of Greater Seattle is committed to ensuring equity and justice.

WHY MLK DAY MATTERS

As we strive to develop and model leadership in the community we also reflect on Martin Luther King Jr's works. Yasmine Farrington-Hernandez, YMCA Program Director, shared her first memory of Dr. King.

"I remember having to memorize the "I Have a Dream Speech" in 5th grade. It didn’t mean much to me at the time. I was just the outspoken black kid in the class, so of course I had to deliver the historic address at the MLK assembly that year. Growing up in a home where I just wanted to survive didn’t leave much room for dreaming, so as I studied the words to Dr. King’s address, it was like a foreign language to me. The audacity of someone to dream in spite of was a boldness I could not even fathom. When everything said no, Dr. King had the courage to dream, not only for himself but for an entire nation, and he gave others permission to do so as well. That year at Ed Franz Elementary school on the stage in our school cafeteria- I was given permission to dream. Despite the abuse, the rejection, the failure, the pain, and everything else- I began to dream.

When my parents, the school system, and everything else said no- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave me my first yes."